Sri Lanka Facts
Sri Lanka’s rich cultural and historical heritage is equal to its astonishing natural beauty – it is these two things in combination that have drawn visitors here for centuries. Sri Lanka was home to several ancient kingdoms and civilizations that date back more 2500 years, and beautiful historic sites all over the island stand as testament to the might of these times.
The Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka will take one to some of the regions’ most splendid archeological heritage sites, which tell the story of a colourful and captivating history. The Triangle consists of two ancient capitals Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa and the cave temples of Dambulla, while the rock fortress of Sigiriya lies inside the triangle.
The ancient cities of Anuradhapura (capital from 4th Century BC to the beginning of 11th Century AD) and Polonnaruwa (declared capital on 1070 AD) in particular are proof of extremely advanced societies. The technologically superior irrigation systems of the ancient kingdoms are especially noteworthy – evidence of this is clearly visible in any of the ancient tanks such as Parakrama Samudraya (Polonnaruwa) or Tissa Wewa (Anuradhapura). Ruins from other structures too, such as the palatial homes of the kings and queens or Buddhist temples and statues erected by religious rulers, continue to be proof of the technological and architectural skill of the ancient kingdoms of Sri Lanka.
The cave temples of Dambulla are a sight to behold, quite unlike anything else in the world. Also known as the Golden Temple, it is made up of five caves that house several statues and intricate paintings on the ceilings as well as the walls of the caves. There are total of 153 Buddha statues, 3 statues of Sri Lankan kings and 4 statues of Gods and Goddesses, including of the God Vishnu and the God Ganesh. Dating back to the 1st Century, this is the most impressive cave temple in Asia.
Sigiriya is one of the Seven World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka. It is an ancient rock fortress and palace ruin, built by King Kashyapa (AD 477-495). It is universally famous for its frescoes, which are similar to those in the Ajanta Caves of India, and which surprisingly remain relatively intact today. Despite its age, Sigiriya still remains a great tribute to the aesthetic ingenuity of its creators and builders and of the King himself. Renowned for its keen sense of symmetry, today one can see remains of several of its special features, including its Gardens, which are famous for being amongst the world’s oldest landscaped gardens.
CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL
